The Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz.–Russell Wilson has been confounding the Arizona Cardinals with his escape antics for a long time.
He did it again last night in the biggest play of the Seattle Seahawks’ 22-16 victory.
In what his coach Pete Carroll called “an extraordinary play,” Wilson eluded the Cardinals with an array of jukes and spin moves before completing a 54-yard pass to Doug Baldwin–setting up his second touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham.
With the win, Seattle climbed within a half-game of the first-place L.A. Rams in the NFC West in a game marred by injuries, including a season-ending one to Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman.
The Seahawks (6-3) limited Adrian Peterson to 29 yards on 21 carries, improving to 4-0-1 in Arizona in Bruce Arians’ five seasons as coach of the Cardinals (4-5).
The only time the Seahawks haven’t beaten Arians’ team in Arizona was in last season’s 6-6 tie.
Seattle’s Kam Chancellor forced a fumble by Peterson on Arizona’s first offensive play and later tackled him in the end zone for a safety.
Sherman limped off the field in the third quarter, one of at least seven players who left the game with injuries.
He said afterward he had ruptured an Achilles tendon.
He had sat out practice all week nursing the sore tendon, knowing it could go at any moment.
Seahawks’ linebacker Bobby Wagner linked the injuries to playing on Thursday nights.
“We play a physical game, a physical sport,” he noted. “And to ask us to turn around and be ready after Sunday, to turn around and have our bodies OK on that Thursday, is really tough for us to do.”
Wilson, sacked a season-high five times, completed 22-of-32 passes for 238 yards.
Arizona’s Drew Stanton, in his second start since Carson Palmer went down with a broken arm, completed 24-of-47 for 273 yards and a touchdown.
With his team leading 15-10, Wilson scrambled and spun his way out of serious trouble repeatedly before throwing from his heels to Baldwin.
Antoine Bethea fell down trying to knock the pass away and Baldwin raced downfield to the Arizona two-yard line.
The Cardinals have seen Wilson do this sort of thing too many times.
“It’s not a surprise, his ability to extend plays,” defensive tackle Josh Mauro said.
“That’s really the catalyst of their whole offence.”
